Shatter
by Amethyst Shard
Summary: Draco Malfoy wants nothing more than to catch the Golden Snitch, but who will catch him? *mild slash* Draco/Harry


Title: Shatter  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Draco Malfoy wants nothing more than to catch the Golden Snitch, but who will catch him? *mild slash* Draco/Harry  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and the concept of Quidditch belong to J. K. Rowling.  
  
The noonday sun shone brightly down on the Quidditch pitch and the players flying over it. A massive wave of crimson flags flittered over the crowds below, breaking up into a smattering of green. The match that day was between Gryffindor and Slytherin and it was turning out to be the most brutal game of the season, though fortunately no casualties had been had yet.  
  
Harry flew towards the Gryffindor end of the pitch and settled in a spot slightly above the other players as he scanned the sky for the Golden Snitch that would win the game. A flash of silvery blond hair caught his eye instead as he spotted his rival Draco Malfoy slow to a halt on the opposite end, to do the same. A small wrinkle marred his delicate eyebrows while his light gray eyes meticulously scoured the area around them. His usually well kept hair looked wind-swept and every time a breeze brushed by, long strands would fall across his face, forcing him to release his grip on his broom to push them back. He squinted against the blazing sun, which bleached his skin even whiter, causing him to look something like a porcelain doll. Staring at him across the distance of the pitch, Draco appeared so small and fragile, Harry mused that one small tap might shatter him completely.  
  
A sudden roar from the crowd below startled Harry, causing him to look down. There, floating above the middle of the field, was the Golden Snitch. He nearly slapped himself for having become distracted from his task. He glanced up to see Malfoy already speeding closer. With no further hesitation, Harry took off after it. Surprisingly the Snitch did not move. It seemed to be waiting for the two Seekers barreling towards it. Just as they were within reach of it, the small golden ball shot straight up. Both Harry and Draco pulled their brooms up sharply after it, nearly colliding in the process. As they sped upwards, they each extended an arm towards the soaring Snitch. It flew in and out of their reach, dancing around their grasping fingers, all the while flying higher and higher. The race became so close that their brooms rode parallel, inches from each other, as their hands fought over the shimmering orb.  
  
Desperate to keep Harry from obtaining the Snitch, Draco grabbed a hold of his wrist and pulled him back. In retaliation Harry swerved his Firebolt to connect with Draco's Nimbus Two Thousand and One. The force knocked him off balance and Draco lost his grip on the broom. Having been flying practically straight up, Draco felt himself tilt back and begin to slide off the broom. Harry noticed the shift out of the corner of his eye. Wrenching his broom from it's ascent, he turned in time for his free arm to grab a hold of Draco's, before he had more than a second of free-falling.  
  
Harry's muscles strained against the uncustomary weight he held onto. His fingers were gripped so tightly around the other boy's slender wrist, they were sure to leave bruises.  
  
Draco's wide frightened eyes stared up into Harry's equally scared green ones. For a second, Harry saw Draco falling onto the ground and breaking like glass and he felt the shards tear into his heart. Harry blinked away the vision and with determined effort he pulled Draco up, who managed to swing his leg over the handle of the broom. It was extremely awkward as Harry struggled to keep them both upright, without losing his grip on the Slytherin Seeker. Finally Draco settled onto the front of the broom facing Harry. With no where else to go, he slid forward wrapping his arms around Harry's waist to keep from falling off. Harry shifted them back slightly to balance out their weight, then wrapped his own arms around Draco, to grip the Firebolt's handle and steer them towards the ground.  
  
Harry had never ridden with two people before. His Firebolt seemed to protest the presence of the passenger as it jerked and swayed every few yards. Each time the broom lurched, Draco's embrace tightened, until Harry felt he was in danger of suffocation. He could feel Draco's chest heaving against his own, his hot breath brushing against his neck. Harry's own breaths became shallow and the combination of rushing adrenaline and decreased oxygen caused his head to start pounding. It continued to increase in intensity, until he could no longer stand it. Through gritted teeth, he hissed at him to loosen his grip.  
  
Harry couldn't see the embarrassed blush that crept onto Draco's pale cheeks, but he did feel his arms loosen their hold.  
  
As they descended onto the ground, a small group of teachers rushed towards them, with Ron and Hermione not far behind. As they hovered a few feet from the ground, Draco released his grip around Harry and pulled back. Harry was surprised to see a grin on his face. Harry looked at him quizzically and the grin quickly spread into a full smile. Harry felt the edges of his own lips tug up into a smile and soon joined him, though he didn't have any idea why Draco seemed so happy. He dismounted from the broom, then helped Draco off as well. The boy continued to smile and his gray eyes sparkled in the sunlight. It was the happiest Harry had ever seen the blond Slytherin. He wondered if perhaps saving Draco's life had changed things between them. Maybe now, after all these years, they could be friends.  
  
Draco's gaze never left Harry's, even as the surrounding people inquired after them, checking them for injuries. Then after what seemed like an eternity of staring into Draco's smiling face, which didn't look like it could get any wider, Draco lifted his hand up between them. It was clenched in a fist. Harry's smile faltered as he looked at it curiously. He caught a glint of gold, before the palm fully opened and then heard the buzzing of wings. Raising slightly from Draco's outstretched hand, the object came fully into view. It was the Golden Snitch. Draco Malfoy had caught the Golden Snitch.  
  
The crowd exploded in an uproar. Most were booing, but still the smile didn't fade. Draco quickly snatched the Snitch from where it hovered above his hand and held it triumphantly over his head for all to see.  
  
Harry's first coherent thought after seeing the Snitch, was that maybe he shouldn't have been so hasty to rescue the other Seeker. But as Draco lowered his arm, and turned to face Harry again, that thought quickly dashed from his mind. Before his fellow team members swallowed him up, Draco winked and tossed the Golden Snitch at Harry.  
  
As Draco was led away and Harry was left standing alone, staring at the glittering ball, he didn't feel so bad about losing the match, because as Draco was hoisted onto the shoulders of his team members, he never seemed so unbreakable.  
  
End. 


End file.
